Arch your Wings
by Omicron the IceQueen
Summary: Just a slight world change, not over drastic but an AU idea I found and liked. It's hard enough being a teenager, throw in a few more limbs to complicated things. Then flop the awkward youths in between Decepticons and Autobots? Jack wants to just hide in his room sometimes, with his heat pad on his back and ignore becoming an adult. Too bad the talking robots won't let him.
1. Fib

Queen's note: This Takes place right after the first encounter in the first Episode =3

 **Arch your Wings**

 **A TF Prime AU**

Fib

Jack was sprawled face down on the thick, purple bean-bag 'chair,' eyes rolling up and closed as his mother's fingers dug into the sore muscles on his back. His right arm twitched and the teen's left leg jerked up at the knee, waving in the air in surrender as his mother worked around the base of his left wing. The teen groaned in a mix of pain and relief as the cramps were being worked out.

"Oooowwww..." Jack pretended he did not hear the whine in his voice, not that one couldn't be excused for that when getting a back rub, "Sorry...thanks mom."

"What did you do after work to get this bad?" Jack's mother asked, June's expression was a mix of bemusement and some worry for her nearly grown son.

"Some- ow, some people where picking on a kid," Jack said, swallowing as he lifted his head out of his bean-bag just enough so his words weren't muffled by the purple false leather. "Pulling on his wings..."

"What happened?" From her stop kneeling to the left of her son, June could see the teenager frown deeply as he rested his chin back down, and gripped the bag. The woman paused, her knowledgeable fingers still resting on Jack's back. "Jack?"

"He was just a kid mom." Jack said, his voice reflecting anger and fear, "I mean, really a _kid_ , he was this tall," Jack lifted his right wing so there was the height of an eleven or twelve year old. "His wings were still all fluffy and downie, he wouldn't even know how to start _gliding yet,_ or know how to exercise wing muscles right- or know he has to start that yet!" Jack was sitting up more on his elbows, part of his own upbringing with a mother in the medical field showing, "A kid, and they dragged him around, pushing him..."

June moved over to her own left, still sitting on her knees, frowning lightly but then smoothed her features to smile softly, "Jack, what happened?" she asked, reaching out to grasp her son's hands, staring at his face. Even before Jack started to talk, June felt pride starting to swell for her son, half guessing what might have happened, "From the start?"

"...I left work," Jack started slowly, "Wanted to just stretch my wings and think about homework- I have _another_ 'where do you see yourself in so many years' essays. I know you don't like me flying in the city, so I was down in the cement river bed to go out to the park," Jack took a breach from his ramble, catching the small smile from his mother, "There was a kid playing with some radio car before... well these people started picking on him- pulled his wings, I remember how much wings hurt growing and being pull... they wanted him to fly for them..."

"And you stepped in?" June asked, arching an eyebrow as she watched Jack's expression, she knew most all of her son's tells when he was thinking or remembering something he knew might not be approved.

"...I...kinda beaned them... with my wings..." Jack said slowly, looking down, his body language and even his wings scrunching then arching slowly in an unconscious response to the memory. Jack had learned early on that his off sized, almost too large wings could be intimidating, yet to his mother and grandmother's pride used that knowledge to not scare people. He was more inclined to volunteering in the children's ward of Jasper Star Hospital to let kids play with his wings, or surrendered molted feathers that had been painted on for them to play with.

Jack ducked his head to rub at his short hair, wincing as he pulled at a taught and sore muscle, "...a few times... I got the kid away but I'm not used to that much weight. Not that anyone with wings weighs that much but..."

"You're still growing too." June finished, sighing and then shifted to lift her son's face up, hands under his chin and jaw line, smiling at him, "Is this boy okay?"

"Yeah, I walked him home." Jack nodded against the warm hands, the smell of eucalyptus infused oil fulling his nose, "I think he's fine, I talked to his mom and sisters, where he got hurt by those... guys and what would help- what?" Jack paused and blinked as he saw his mother grinning.

"Jack you're so sweet," June hugged her son, getting a muffled protest in her shoulder. "Don't worry, I'm not mad. You helped someone, and you're fine... well mostly fine." June sat back and tweaked the leading edge of her son's left wing, smiling as it twitched back in response, "I don't mind giving you the backrub, but you're cleaning the gutters tomorrow morning before school."

"Deal," Jack agreed promptly, wincing as he sprawled back down, then said into the false leather, "Thanks mom." as the older woman started working out the cramps in his wings and back again. He was happy to lay limp, even when a few times it hurt, knowing it would help him in the long run.

"Did you get the dressing yesterday for dinner tonight?" June asked, getting some more oil, and making a note to sit her son down in a few days for a good grooming session of his wings where he couldn't reach, they looked more ruffled then normal. Not to mention Jack seemed to be missing a few more feathers then normal.

Jack shifted just enough to toss a thumb's up into the air with a grunt.

"And the hummus?"

Another thumbs up and a happy mumble.

June chuckled, "Right, red pepper hummus... hmm, alright, we can make something good with that." the woman nodded, "I have an early meeting tomorrow morning, so I'll be gone by the time you get up."

"Okay, was thinking of walking to school anyways," Jack said tilted his head to the side, eyes closed as he relaxed both into the back rub and the fact that he wasn't in trouble. When the phone rang a half an hour later, the teen didn't budge, convinced he was boneless on his bean-bag even as his mom wiped off her hands on one grey wing, the natural oil was feather safe as everything in the house was since as far back as Jack could remember.

He was dosing off on the spot as a familiar name, "Mr. Esquivel?" was spoken in his mother's voice, unaware of a dark blue motorcycle passed slowly in front of his house. If he was looking it wouldn't seem creepy, the woman driving the motorcycle was looking around, and then down at GPS, as if confused of why she was in this neighborhood.

"Yes I'm Jack's mother," June was saying, glancing at her son, the picture of a lazy winged teenager being sprawled with limbs, feathered or not laying limply. Though his large wings were taking up most of the living room's space, she repressed the flicker of a longing pang, remembering seeing her son at six with overly fluffy wings and hiding in them giggling. The dark haired woman turned her full attention to the phone, "I just got home a little bit ago- oh? My son did what? He did?" June felt pride swelling again, "Is you're son alright? You should get someone to rub in some feather safe oil into the base of the joints. An electric heat pad on his back will help make him feel better, that always helped Jack when he was child and got picked on."

June shifted the phone to the spot of her shoulder that would let her wash her hands, glancing out the window and had a flash of amusement as the motorcycle driver tossed her arms up in the air. GPS loved to send people down this dead end street, and one of the woman's next door neighbors was coming over to give directions.

"Jack's fine now, thank you for asking. No it was just some cramping and sore muscles." June said into the phone, starting to get dinner ready as she spoke, moving so not to make too much noise over the phone. "That's alright if you're son wants to thank him, but maybe tomorrow? Jack's working on homework right now." she fibbed a little, wanting her son to have this chance to rest in his becoming busy scheduled. Between school, his job and starting to poke at possible collages she wondered how he had time to come visit her at work. The woman smiled, thanking the man on the phone again before hanging up and starting on dinner.

"When is your essay due?" June asked a little while later as Jack started to get up, straightening out his wings in an arching movement, so not to knock anything over or put a dent in the dry wall. There were plenty of dents in his own room and the converted basement-den.

"Next week, thanks for the rub mom." Jack said, working to close his wings fully, wincing at the twangs of pain from the process. It took him a few moments to work each of his wings closed as much as he could.

"Have you thought of what you want to do?" June asked, taking the pan off the heat and dished up the stir-fry like meal onto plates, grabbing some crackers and the hummus next.

"Not exactly," the teen shrugged, and made a face that had his mother smiling as he grumbled, wings having shrugged out of place in a secondary motion. He flopped into a backless chair, grabbing for the juice he blended for them earlier that morning as a part of his daily choirs. "Don't want to stay as a cashier, where people think it's funny to throw fries at my feathers."

"That's just one place," June pointed out yet she nodded in understanding, "I thought I wanted to run a cafe,"

"But you're the best nurse this side of everywhere," Jack added, smiling at his mother before digging into the stir-fry. "Mom, do you mind if I make fish tacos tomorrow? We've had tofu based things for about two weeks in a row."

"If you want to make something with meat-protein, go ahead Jack, just no red meat for me." June nodded, "I'll eat fish you know, we just had so much from that bulk order to use up."

"I don't eat red meat much anymore." Jack agreed, frowning at his mother for a moment, "Tomorrow's another ten hour day for you isn't it?"

"Eleven with the meeting," June sighed deeply, "The kids are doing good though."

"I'll bring you something to eat at my lunch hour." Jack said, still frowning.

"Don't be late for your classes." the woman shook her finger at her son, who grinned back now.

"I won't be," Jack promised, "It's a fast guild to Jasper Star from school and I'll clear it with the school first thing in the morning before classes. Try not to let the place over work you okay mom?"

June smiled, leaning over to clasp the hand of her winged son, noting how much he was looking like his father slowly over the last two years, "I won't. Don't roll over onto your wings tonight."

Jack ducked his head as he moved to fridge, "I hope I don't either. That hurts- hey, did you put apple-pears in here? Cool mom."


	2. Wait Who?

Queen's note: the plt bunnies...! and I have no shame in using my favorite big red mech in a non cannon way. Because. [chapter re-edited]

 **Arch your Wings**

 **A TF Prime AU**

Wait, who?

The lanky teenager was not sure what he felt more, paranoid anxiety that those... metal titans could be every single car that passed him, or the parked ones he passed. Or an odd sense of pride that he had gotten himself and the Raphael kid to safety, even though it hurt more then he let on to his mom...

Guilt worked through his frame, throbbing in his heart at the thought of his mom. Jack had wanted to spill everything, what really happened, not the same story he had come up with on the spot when facing Raphael's mother as to why he was escorting the boy home. It hadn't been an outright lie, yet not the whole truth.

The young man pushed his hand through his hair, scratching lightly at his scalp. Looking around again on his way back to school, he only had one class after lunch, an early day. His wings shifted in the harness he got, a loan from his 'Aunt Margaret' to help against the still random cramps left over from the so called adventures of yesterday. It was a good thing the children's hospital wasn't far from the teen's school. Jack knew the reason as some of the things were shared with the hospital, like the pool and gym.

"Hey you limp chicken!" A young male voice yelled from a passing car, and without looking up or over to know who it was Jack lifted a hand to flip the jerks off. Excluding that he did not react to the other insulting slurs, though he did smirk as the gym teacher heard and bellowed at Vince and his croonie-wannabees. While also having missed the ruse gesture Jack had done.

Jack walked through the open front doors, wincing as his left wing caught and banged against the frame. Reaching out he pulled it back into place and tightened the harness a bit more.

"Are you okay?" A slightly accented voice asked, pulling the teen's attention away to see a shorter girl wincing and holding her own wings tighter to her in response to seeing the small tremors under a blue-grey feathers. The teacher she had been talking with paused and noticed too.

"Yeah I'm fine," Jack assured both, blinking only a moment at the girl's brightly dyed hair. He had seen far more interesting things working in retail the last few years, and smiled. Easily sliding the retail-mask on as he hitched his own wings back into place.

"Are you sure Jack?" the English teacher asked, the blond woman looked worried, "You didn't have a harness in this morning's class."

"I really am," Jack promised, holding his hands up, his bag dangling from his right wrist, "Just some muscle strain from a bad flight yesterday...and rolling over off the bed onto one last night."

The girl winced, her own shorter wings twitching at the thought and possible memory of doing the same at one point or another, "Ooo... _ow_ man."

"Do you need to see the school nurse?" The older woman asked, placing a hand on the girl's shoulder.

Jack gave a small salute, "Nah, mom's friend checked me out at lunch when I brought her food. I'm good Miss Jade. Plus I'm going home after school, not work."

"Alright, be careful then Jack," Miss Jade said after the boy as he left to his locker, then glanced down, "Come on Miko, let's get you that book."

"Cool...who was that Miss Jade?" the girl, Miko was heard asking as the older teen tried to be a little more graceful on his way down the hall.

Well, that had been embarrassing.

Jack rubbed the bridge of his nose, still faintly hearing Vince's whining voice and the thunder rumbling of the gym teacher. That at least still made the teen smile a bit as he headed early to his last class of the day, glancing out of each window to look at the semi distant cars. Jack got a chance to talk to his teacher about an upcoming report, and took a seat at the back so he wouldn't block anyone's view of the protector. Jack also got to barrow a geology book for the weekend after class, unable to resist thumbing through it as he started to walk. At least until a small, brown haired and winged form ran into Jack outside.

"Whoa!" Jack jerked the book up in reflex, eyes widening as his wings strained at the harness, one side giving as it was designed so the gray appendage could fling out and catch his balance as the other wing slipped out as well.

"Sorry!" A young male voice cried, one Jack now knew, and flinching. The older teen caught himself from falling on the boy by giving two half wing beats.

"It's okay, Raf was it?" Jack smiled, glancing around and spotted the sleek, riderless motorcycle that looked exactly like the living titan from yesterday as well. The reason for all the fear and now cramping of over stressed wing muscles. Jack narrowed his eyes, knowing it was a common model, that other students could have one... but he folded his wings, reflexively shielding the smaller boy and his own still puffy soft brown wings, "It's okay, really, I was just reading and not looking where I was going. Did I run you over? Are you're wings okay?"

Rafael's nervousness started to fade, reassured he wasn't the only reason for crashing into the teenager, and the not so strangely sense of protection that came from a larger set of wings to hid behind. His father and mother were wingless, but his two uncles on his father's side were not. Sometimes it was hard being the only one in the family with feathers. "I'm fine, mom put a heat pad between my wings last night like your mom said to."

For a moment Jack grinned, shrugging a few times to get his wings to close most of the way again. "Yeah, that feels really nice huh?"

Rafael nodded, beaming now, "I wanted to say thank you in person," the brown haired boy said, his wings fluffing out and half slicking back down, he glanced around, "You know, for saving me and all."

Jack patted the leading edge of a round wing, "It's okay Raf, it really is. You're safe now, we're safe. But I don't really think we should talk that much about what really happened." Jack added in a quieter voice, spotting the sharp black wings of another student and a few others without wings.

"I don't think anyone really would believe it..." Rafael said looking down, and hugging his own book.

"No...but hey," Jack knelt down carefully, now looking more up at the younger boy as he smiled, ignoring how his wings were loosely held and getting on the sidewalk and in the grass. "I believe, was there... if you need to talk Raf," he reached back to tuck the geology book away in the side bag at his hip. Then Jack grabbed his phone, "I mean it, about that thing or anything else? You call me, or text me. I check my phone on breaks at work- well at work but I'm not supposed to respond until break."

"Do you really mean that?" Rafael asked, looking up from the sidewalk, offering his phone for the number to be put in, brightening as Jack's response was to lift his phone to take a picture with it as the ID before passing the cell back.

"Yeah I do. If you're scared, or if there ever is real bullies, or want to learn how to exercise your wings." Jack nodded as he promised, seeing more than a connection born of running for your lives together. This was a kid with feathers in a featherless home. Jack remembered seeing those family photos displayed in the hallway yesterday.

"Is that how yours' are so big?" Rafael asked, looking to either side at the grey-blue wings that framed him.

"Ah, no, not exactly." Jack rubbed the back of his head with his own cell phone, "I'm from a different line I guess? I don't know what or who my father was, he had wings like mine apparently, but my mom doesn't have wings. I hope they don't get any bigger."

"They can get bigger?" The boy asked, reaching up to push his glasses back into place, reaching out a little as if wanting to touch before remembering his manors. Only the right wing shifted up into range and Rafael touched it, feeling the thin but strong cores of muscle under the smaller feathers from someone actively flying, but still not as strong as it could be.

"...maybe." Jack admitted slowly, sighing as he shrugged, "I'm not done growing in the body. You know that dull achy feeling in the legs?" he got a nod, "Yeah... I think my wings just grew bigger first and forgot me, I'm always running into things now."

Rafael tried not to giggle outright as he smiled wider now, "Yeah, I do that a lot too, I heard mom and dad talking about putting me in a room on my own soon."

"Just, keep your bed in the middle of the room." Jack advised as the crowd of students faded, "And any extra blankets folded on the sides of the bed when your wings start growing." His mom accused Jack of hording ever blanket in the town as his wings draped onto the ground normally, "They won't be as stiff in the morning if your wings are resting up on a blanket or pillow compared to if they're on the ground."

 _Meep-beep_.

The odd sound, like and unlike a car horn had both youths looking up, blinking in the automatic response to see if the sound was to get their attention. As it turned out, it was.

The dark yellow muscle car with black stripes was standing almost innocently at nearer side curb. Driver-less it rolled another half a foot and the passenger side door opened as if by ghost hands. A mechanical, low volume churr and chitter, the same from that mecha that had been the last they saw in the drainage tunnel before running.

Reflexively Jack grabbed and pulled Rafael close as he sat upright, the large grey-blue wings banging into each other at the wrist joints as they tried to close around in a shield like way, "Oh nonono, we're noooot going to talk about robot-car fight club." he tugged the smaller boy as Jack moved to get up.

"I don't think it wants to hurt us," Rafael said, peeking between the large pinions, frowning at the alien sounds that once more seemed like another set of words he half knew. The boy wasn't that sure how he knew, but it was listening to a heavier accent, you almost got it but not quiet understanding fully.

"What, it wants us to get in?" Jack guessed from the wagging door, and blinked as he got a chitter in return. He looked down and fumbled to catch the shorter boy who had slipped between the grey wings and out of reach, padding closer to the car.

Rafael shook his head, and smiled, "No... I think just me, you're too big." he fluffed his wings when Jack made a strange sound, his own larger wings arching up, after a click-buss and whistle, Rafael looked back and pointed to where a motorcycle was coming.

Jack spun to face the other rider-less vehicle, swallowing thickly.

"Relax kid, we're not going to hurt you," a mechanical, somewhat gruff female voice said lowly, so not to carry to anyone still around.

Jack laughed nervously, remembering that threat of being hunted down, "Um, look, we haven't said anything I promise-"

"Oh, wow." The younger boy said behind him, half way inside the churring car. The 'tone' somehow being a cross of encouraging and cooing it seemed arching the door open wider for Rafael's uncoordinated wings.

"Hey, Raf I don't think that's a good idea-" Jack started spotting what was going on and stepped closer as the boy turned to plop down and cocooned himself happily in his downie appendages.

"I think it's okay," big brown eyes looked around his mottled pattern wings, smiling a little shyly, and maybe a little too trustingly as the door edged closed gently, but firmly.

"No, no," Jack moved but the yellow car was already pulling away.

"Hey, hey take it easy, Bee' won't ever hurt the kid," the motorcycle- the same dark blue of earlier.

"Just kidnap him?!" Jack hissed, looking back to the female voice, and after the yellow car, his wings arching half unconsciously to get away only he could think from something that he knew was bigger and very likely faster than him on ground level: straight up.

If these big awkward wings where good for something, it was that Jack should be able to take off from a stand still. When he really had to get air born there should not be a need for jumping, or bounding off some set of stairs, brick wall, railing or whatever someone with smaller wings needed.

"No, Optimus just requesting, hey wait," The motorcycle moved closer recognizing the signs of body language almost too late. The teen had taking three steps out into the road, away from the big old orange trees in the front yard of the school. "Scrap," the holoform flickered on and the motorcycle kept a scanner on the human, switching to an internal communication line, :: _He's off, do you have a scanner on him too?_ ::

:: _Yeah, and something else interesting partner-_ ::

:: _Don't mind it Cliff, we need to get this kid._ ::

:: _I really think you should watch who's watching your bumper. Hey, are you listening? Turn your comms back on!_ ::

Jack scanned around, trying to spot the car, unsure if he could get Rafael out or even stop it... he tilted his wings to fly low, more gliding. Unfairly at the same moment he spotted the motorcycle fallowing him, Jack's left wing spazzemed, causing him to swing unexpectedly to the side. He had to flap ungracefully and hurriedly to keep from crashing into the ally way, stumbling and spinning his arms. The already hurting left wing banged into a dumpster and Jack jerked his wings close, catching pinions on a pallet of the right one. Hissing as a motorcycle came after him into the alley, Jack pulled up his wings almost like a shield, wincing as he eyed the thing changing. Parts shifting and expanding, coming into viable existence as they locked into place.

It seemed impossible that much robot fit into the motorcycle Jack stood taller then.

The blue and silver mecha, female and woman like in her general shape and form as well as the voice, though deeper with her comparative mass. Long slender fingers, metallic digits that were somehow looking like they were more solid yet flexible silver, her hands spread with palms up in a peaceful gesture, "Look, Jack is it?" She asked tilting her head before shifting to rest a hand on the ground and hunching to be closer to the teen's level as he backed up, one wing- that left one, she saw spazzem. "I'm not going to hurt you. I just need to talk to you."

"That's okay, you made it really, _really_ clear before: no talking about robot fight club." Jack was backing up still, using both hands to pull up the still shivering left wing, his own fingers digging in under the feathered layer to feel and make sure he had not broken his wing on top of everything else in the last 24 hours. "I don't want to get involved, I'll stay safely as far away as I can. I don't want to be anywhere near talking cars- or motorcycles- or even if there's planes, that want to get me killed!"

"You're personal safety is _exactly_ why Optimus Prime has requested your presence." the mecha said as she shifted to movie closer after the human as Jack backed up, lowering herself so the glowing blue optics were nearly level with him.

They were close enough for Jack to both see his reflection as well as the purple rings in the glowing blue. Jack swallowed, "Optimus...wait what? Who?"

"You may be in greater danger then you can imagine Jack," The silver face showed a mix strange familiarity, so very much like how a human showed their emotions in their expressions, "You are one of few, one of the only who have ever seen us Cybertronians on your world..."

"Dude, what are you waiting for?" A new, and rather unexpected but energetic voice called out, " _Go with!_ "

Jack turned, and the blue female robot looked up as well, both quickly spotting the slender, black winged girl half perched on the fire escape. Clinging there and balancing with twitching wings.

"... _Scrap._ " the female mecha hissed out as she saw the other human, the winglet like things on her back twitching up as she frowned.

"...oooh...oops." The girl- what had her name been? Miko? She gave a nerviness smile and braced her feet to push off, "Sorry bye!" Miko blurted and lunched back, turning dart off on wings, the girl had a confused moment as she had glimpsed the blue robot suddenly smirking. Then there was an abrupt appearance of a sheer wall of smooth red, and the world closed in on her before Miko could open her wings fully.

"Nice catch Cliff." the female robot said from her spot still kneeling, giving a hand smirk at the semi muffled protests from within the larger mech's hands.

"No problem Arcee. Next time though? Pay attention when I mention you're aft." The broad shoulder mech grinned wide, then peered between the thin gaps between his thick digits, "Hey, hey, calm down in there, I'm not going to hurt ya. An' I don't want ya to hurt ya'r self on me."

"Dude don't eat me! I'm not a good wing-dish!" Came the yelped between the larger red mech's hands.

Cliffjumper could not help laughing a low rumble that almost vibrated the air near him, shaking a bit as he tried not to draw any more attention to his massive frame, "Aw, that's a shame, guess you'll just have to ride alone with us then."


	3. Gentle Metal

Queen's note: ...daddy Prime

 **Arch Your Wings**

 **[Transformers Prime: AU]**

Chapter Three:

Gentle Metal

Jack looked down at his phone, not for the first time but although there was no signal or survive in this strange underground but not quiet underground place, Jack could check the time. It was strange in another way as he realized, staring at the digital numbers, that it has been exactly twenty six hours since he made the mistake of sitting on the blue motorcycle that hid an alien mecha. What was it Bulkhead, the big mech, call Arcee, a femmie...not 'female.'

The teenager looked around the vast chamber, glancing up to the large forms almost but not too near Jack in his spot. His wings shifted in the harness, feeling the resistance against the limbs that was oddly reassuring. An odd way of grounding himself but it was there.

"I'm okay Medda-ow!" The red mech that had carried Jack and Miko from the street to this alien base was to Jacks right. He was sitting on what looked like a cross of a bed and table made of solid metal that could hold him. Cliffjumper was trying to lean back but the red and white mech- Ratchet?- grabbed at the collar ridge to pull the mech back to him.

"Don't you 'Medda' me Cliffjumper," Ratchet growled, pushing the mech to lay down, "You might have played dead to get away from Starscream, but you were still damaged. You're just lucky you're a front liner frame to hold up against that damage."

"And having a false Spark chamber," Cliffjumper grunted as he settled down, helping to lift the heavy chest plate and hold it open for Ratchet to work on his systems. Repairing the damage that Decepticon claws had done under the chest plate, though thankfully it was mostly a non-vital cooling systems and a few energon lines.

"I don't know how Starscream over looked this..." Ratchet vented in a sigh like way, bent down to carefully cut out the damaged part of the energon lines and splice in a new segment. He had already coated the inside of the line with the additives to help boost the nanites in the warriors' system to fully integrate the new section.

"I don't know either Ratch', it's not like the first time this has happened." Cliffjumper almost shrugged but stopped himself from doing so, grimacing as he felt the parts being installed. "Just glad he wasn't that focused on me."

"Do you know where his attention was diverted so much?" Optimus Prime's deeper voice spoke up from the other side of Jack and the teen looking over at the Autobot leader automatically with the other two humans who were closer to Bumblebee.

"Didn't hear, sorry Prime," Cliffjumper grunted and looked down, "Watch it, that _pulls._ "

Ratchet rumbled back, but paused to let the somewhat bigger mech brace himself against the berth, "We still need to prioritize salvage of the ship Optimus, we need more medical supplies." The red and white mech seemed to be very displeased, not angry.

"I know old friend," Optimus said as he turned slightly to look at the humans, noting the younger two were at least talking and interacting with Bumblebee and the awkwardly sitting Bulkhead. Miko was flicking her wings to stay balanced on the bemused Wrecker's arm to stay balanced, while Raphael was sitting on a left over human chair that had been set on one of the levels, legs pulled up and wings held tight as he, like Miko, asked a seemingly endless string of questions to the Prime's mechs.

They were mostly innocent questions, as he suspected would come after that first data–pack that Bumblebee had given to him after saving the youths. Where was their home world? Could it be seen from earth? Was it metal like the mechs or earthy? What were the flowers like? Were there animals? How many different kinds? Could Bulkhead pick up a house?

The Prime chuckled softly as he turned his full attention to the last, and oldest of the human youths he felt needed more than casual supervision. 'Keeping tabs on' Bumblebee had called it... well, at least the two young male humans- boys?- were who he had planned on assigning a guardian, but with Miko inadvertently finding out, it had tossed a bit of scrap in the plan, yet noting more than Optimus couldn't handle easily. They were all still sparklings when it came down to it, even by human standards of development.

...not that there wasn't more than a few adult humans Optimus had met that clearly displayed less maturity then a youngling. Primus, this young Jack so far had displayed a level of maturity that impressed the Prime, being able to control most of his shock, yet thankfully still young enough to already start adapting well in the face of this abrupt expansion of his world outside of his small home town and universe of reality.

Jack tensed as he suddenly became aware of being stared at, the grey-blue feathers fluffing out nearer the joints on his back. Optimus watched, interest and an odd affection at the sight, reminding the mech of the first time at seeing SoftLove peeking out of dark pink armor, and a soft fussy lump of a turbo fox kit in Arcee's hands before the war.

"How are you holding up?" Optimus asked as Jack turned, jumping minutely at realizing the tallest mech was so close to him.

"Um..." Jack looked around, becoming aware that though he was at chest or head level for most of the mechs on this platform, he was looking at Optimus' lower 'stomach' area. "I'm...not really sure if I was to be honest, uh... sir?" The teen looked up to the dark blue optics in surprise as Optimus started chuckling.

The Prime eased down slowly so he was closer to Jack's level, easier for the human to see the small smile. "That... is a very understandable answer young Jack. I understand feeling your world, safe perhaps before, being changed very drastically with little warning." The dark indigo optics seemed to take a softer hue, as the mech glanced at the wings, yet did not reach or move at all like Bumblebee had to touch Raphael's right wing.

Ratchet gave a snot to the side at that, but Optimus ignored it with practiced ease.

"...really?" Jack asked after a few moments after, stepping slowly closer to Optimus.

"Yes, though perhaps it is not a story for now, as it was a long time ago." The Prime rumbled and then smiled at the teen, "Maybe if you learn some things to understand the context."

"That...makes sense, sir, with littoral alien differences." Jack said as he thought about it.

"You may call me Optimus, Jack." The big mech said with a chuckle, "Would you tell me your store though?"

"From yesterday?"

"Yes, and what else you are willing. It has been a long time since I was able to talk to a human outside of your local military." Optimus said as he shifted, speaking in that softer rumble of his voice to gently coax Jack into relaxing and explain the experience with meeting Cybertronians from a different- and shorter point of view.


	4. Partners

Queen's note: Slightly modifying the time line for plots n.n

 **Arch your Wings**

 **A TF Prime AU**

Partners

"…I think I see the snag in this plan." Jack commented as he stared at the old red muscle car that was before him, the desert air was hot and so tempting to play on thermo-clines up that were rising up. To feel the hot air under his wings and spiraling up like he used to do in the state parks... Jack realized suddenly, and an odd time as the car started laughing that he didn't spend as much time play-flying as much as he used to.

"Yeah I do too." The car brock apart slowly, rising up until Cliffjumper was crouching down with his fore arms on bent knees. "Hmm... Maybe Arcee would have been a better pick after all."

"I don't think she likes me at all." Jack said, looking up the silver face, glanced to the old roadway where Bulkhead and Miko had gone with Bumblebee taking Raph home just before. He shifted and the young man flexed his wings in the harness they were in, looking up at the curve.

"Arcee's a grump sometimes, but she doesn't not-like you Jack," Cliffjumper assured, reaching up to scratch at that broken horn on his helm, smiling as the teen watched the motion.

"Didn't seem like that to me." Jack hunched a bit, the wings folding tighter and making the harness go a little limp. The motioned reminded the mech how sensitive the young were sometimes- even it was an organic youngling and not a Cybertronian sparkling.

Yet, Cliffjumper realized that Jack had no experience with Cybertronians, he didn't know how to pick up on mecha emotions. The red mech got down more, lowering himself to lay on his front, putting his head nearly at Jack's level, "Look kiddo, you don't know how to read Arcee, you've only really interacted with her for…a few hours I think on your time scale." The silver mech smiled as he crossed his arms half under him and leaned on them, "I've known Arcee since just before the great war, back when I was a bouncer. She can be... thorny to someone new but the femmie has her head and blades on right."

"Yeah?" Jack edged a step closer to peer up at the dark blue-teal eyes- no optics.

Cliffjumper nodded, "When I first met her? If it wasn't for my buddy Jazz, she would have punched me." He grinned, as if this was more amusing then insulting to him.

"Really?" Jack arched an eyebrow at the mech, looking a bit concerned, maybe for his own...safety or sanity with this new guardian.

"Yep, but I didn't know her history, nor did she know I'm a shock trooper frame time." The mech shifted and freed one hand, knowing enough not to move too face so close to the smaller organic as he pointed to the long grey wings that were relaxing again, "Now, about those there, I don't want to smush them, and I don't think you want to cram your wings into an armor pocket. Besides, that wouldn't be a good way for you to get free rides Jack."

"Yeah… no, I don't want that to happen," Jack agreed, catching sight of a wild bird, attracted to him and likely not seeing the mech for what he was.

"How do you get around long distance?" Cliffjumper asked, shifting and one large hand pointed at the bit too big wings. Yet the big mech didn't really touch the feathers. It was a respect Jack wasn't expecting but suddenly felt grateful for, as before during the day the yellow mech couldn't seem to resist gently touching Raph's downy wings since the boy had wanted to sit in Bumblebee's hands.

Though downy wings were hard not to touch for anyone, winged or none winged humans...

The teen remembered the frustration of strangers wanting to pet the soft fluffy wings of his youth. Jack appreciated what Cliffjumper was doing, and he relaxed that last bit, deciding to really trust at least this Autobot. "My mom has a retractable hard top roof on her car, and I normally use a harness like this one." Jack started to explain, lifting his wings a little like a shrug, "We don't go anywhere really fast, even with a harness,"

"Roadtrips take a long time?" Cliffjumper gave a half, slightly lopsided smile that made him somehow more human to the teen. More relatable as Jack started to realize that there was more expression on these metallic faces then he first thought.

"Yeah," The teen nodded, "Not that we ever go far now, but we used to go camping in the state parks or visiting my aunt in California."

"Hmm... retractable eh?" The mech rose slowly on his hands and knees, doing something like a stretch and then started pulling himself up again, the mech offered a hand, "Let's make this work, do you trust me to carry you Jack?"

"I guess," Jack came over, reaching to put his hands on the mech's thumb and the edge of his palm. Taking a deep breath he pulled himself and onto his kneels in the middle of the black-grey palm. Jack was glad he was given a few moments to make sure he was settled before Cliffjumper rose up and starting waking through the desert national park. "What is that?" Jack asked, his wings lifting and fluffing out as he _felt_ something alike but not a charge of electricity, a sudden tingling that ran from the back of his neck, down his spine to his knees, only to come back up and spread to the second wrist joints of his wings.

"You felt that?" Cliffjumper asked, surprised as he arched and optic ridge and the indigo optics looking down at light blue of the sixteen year old.

"What was that?" Jack asked again, eyes wide.

"It was just a scan Jack, harmless." Cliffjumper lifted his other hand to make a barrier between the boy and the open space of air, "Normally humans don't notice it..."

"A _scan?"_ the youth felt himself gawking for a moment then leaned back away from the red chest plate, the tingling sensation had stopped, and thankfully no ghosting remnant of the feeling. "Didn't feel like what happen with Ratchet..."

"Its just a habit to scan small things," Cliffjumper started and then tilted his head, as if distracted by something tiny in front of his optics, "You felt that passive scan Ratchet did Jack?"

"Yeah….is that not normal?" the teen worried, Jack looking back to the wall of seemingly solid rocky cliff.

"Nah, not unexpected, just means your bio-energy field is strong enough pick up on some things." Cliffjumper started walking, not seeming bothered with this new development, "Can you feel my field?" The big mech asked.

"...I think?" Jack hesitated, "That storm feeling?" he frowned.

"If you can, you can, it's not a big deal Jack."

"Where are you going?" Jack asked, happy to leave this topic for now.

"Shopping," Cliffjumper grinned at the surprised look that was sent up to him. "That big roadway isn't far off, great for scoping new alternate forms."

The light clicked on, "The Valley of Fire Highway?" Jack asked, and then started to grasp what Cliffjumper was intended.

"Yeah that's it," Cliffjumper nodded as he walked through the stone pillars, ducking under an arch that was just slightly to close to his head height, "It's not that far of a walk away, and I can pick up on any stray humans that might get close enough to see me. Done it before."

"Somehow, just thinking about it doesn't make sense something as big as you guys can hide well." Jack noted that despite the likely tons of metal his new guardian wasn't making much sound as he walked, shrugging off his harness enough to stretch his wings, one long grey limb at a time, pausing a moment as the pinions brushed on Cliffjumper's wrist.

"We're an adaptive race Jack, so are humans from what I've seen." The horns glinted as Cliffjumper looked around and eyed the sky. He moved to the right and ducked down under an overhang before Jack heard the semi-distance thrumming of a helicopter. "Well, the tour is right on time hope you don't mind a little delay."

"It's okay," Jack said as he watched Cliffjumper take a seat on the stone formations as if he had done this before, "How long have you been here? I mean around Jasper."

Cliffjumper considered, rumbling a part growl of an engine and part mechanical purr. "A few of your years... six I think? No, about eight, miscalculated a bit."

"Wait, really? That long?" Jack asked and sat up more in the mech's hand before The teen shifted to sit down with his legs crossed and seemed to relax as his wings folded loosely but hung down to rest on the big palm as well. "Eight years…so I was eight when you showed up…huh. Did you ever- no wait that's a silly question."

"I might have seen you a few times," Cliffjumper chuckled as he reached over with his free hand, one large digit barely touching the leading edge of Jack's left wing, "Just like you likely had seen an Autobot and not known it. 'Bee and I like driving around Jasper and finding places to people watch. There's a chance."

"How long have you been on earth?" Jack asked next, not as reserved as he was in the base.

Cliffjumper considered, "On earth itself? I think it would have been a few months before you were born. Arcee and I came in later than the other bots." He lifted his head and faintly Jack felt the mech's scanner again, but it wasn't focused on him, "And there they go. Hang on kiddo." The Autobot got up again to finish to the trip to the overlook where he set the teenager down first, just before the ridge.

After five minutes Cliffjumper was sprawled out on his front, having to almost army-crawl to the right spot to start watching the heat cracked old pavement. Not minding that Jack was beside his head as they watched the cars, it didn't take that long for the teen to finish grasping what was going on as the boy and mech started debating the differences between the cars.

"If it's an older car it's not as noticed, at least it seems that way." Jack said, sitting on Cliffjumper's shoulder a half hour later, even as it was getting darker. He'd sent a text message to his mother he'd be late getting home, wanting a long guild to clear his head. That wasn't too big of a fib, and something he used to do when overwhelmed with homework.

"Can't be too old either, classics draw almost as much attention as the newer modules... some 'rust' spots are good to. Oh, I like that one." Cliffjumper sat up a little to throw out an unseen scan at an old but shinny blue car that passed them.

"Wait, really? That?" Jack yelped, hanging on.


	5. At Home

Queen's note: Cliffjumper is a 1967 pontiac gto convertible, And... apparently I forgot to update this story here...oops. I might start doing review responses next chapter

 **Arch your Wings**

 **A TF Prime AU**

At Home

"Heads up," Cliffjumper's voice came from the cellphone on the counter just two seconds before June's voice yelled in to the house.

" _Jackson Marko Darby!"_

Jack flinched at the tone and use of his _full name_ , reflexively hunching up his shoulders and ducking as if expecting a smack to the back of the head out thin air. He resisting the urge to swallow and shifted to pull up his fluffed wings where he had let them hang lazily down on the ground of the bathroom. Taking a deep breath, Jack glanced at his phone, hearing the low chuckle of amusement before he ducked lower to spit into the sink, "I'm in the bathroom mom!" Jack called, making a face at his reflection.

"Come out here young man!" His mother's voice yelled, she sounded near the front door.

Jack felt his shoulders sag for a moment before standing up, "Coming!"

"Cheer up, I got ya' covered kid. Check under the passenger seat for the papers." Cliffjumper's voice said from the phone he'd been talking to the teen through, the tone somehow giving some reassurance before the cell darkened as the connection was turned off or on a stand by. Though Jack wouldn't know for a long time it would always be there.

Taking a deep breath Jack picked up his wings and poked his head out of the bathroom door and then came out. "Coming!" he called again, and making sure his wings were closed tight the teen made his way to the front room and then to the open front door. Jack held his wings tight in a sheepish manor as he peeked outside, "Ma?"

"Don't you 'Ma' me young man," June said as she was torn between crossing her arms and pointing at the open work shop that had a new bumper in it. "What is that? And how did it get here?"

"...it's the car I was getting, and I drove it here." Jack said, maybe a slight hint of a question in his voice. After a few long, and rather uncomfortable moments of being stared at by the unimpressed look of his mother Jack hunched his shoulders and tucked his wings in, "I was kind of hoping my first car wouldn't be treated like I just killed a service dog..."

"I..." June paused, her son's words and poster sinking in past her shock of finding a new car. "Please don't tell me this was an impulse buy of any kind?" she asked, the heat draining out of her voice as the woman's shoulders start to lose the sharp edge.

"No," Jack promised taking a step forward and holding his arms out, "I promise it _wasn't_ an impulsive buy at all. Really mom," He was being honest and flicked out his wings minutely, feeling the edge brush against the red metal. Because Jack was already a bit tense, the reaction he had to suddenly getting a not-there jolt sensation of the hidden mech's energy field was missed. The poofing of his feathers being taken as an awkward attempt at 'being cute' to his mom.

"How did you afford this Jack?" June wondered looking at the soft top convertible, the top down. The red paint had once been a pretty shade she could tell, like June's own green car once had been before Jack was born years past. The aged muscle car sat as innocently as it wasn't it seemed, like it was amused at the situation it found itself in.

"Luck," Jack said after a moment, "And a bonus, for the grease issue that hasn't been fixed yet."

That caught the woman's attention as her frown turned back to her son, "Did you at least get proper paperwork for the car?" She asked.

"Yeah," Jack moved to the passenger side of the door, as he opened it and ducked down to fish under the seat the woman took the moment to peer at the grey wings. There were still stains of oil and grease that had splattered on Jack's wings from work, she could see that the teen was getting help cleaning up but it was effecting the gloss on the feathers.

Jack stood back up, holding a blue tinted folder and showed it to his mother, flipping it open and the near papers that had the car's records.

"Looks like the last owner of it kept good records, I hope you do to." June looked up to see a mix of warryness and hopefulness. She sighed deeply, "…promise me you'll wear your harness when driving?"

Jack beamed, "I promise I'll wear my harness." The teen stepped over as his mother set the file down, and wrapped her in a hug that folded his wings over her, lifting her off her feet for a moment. "Thanks mom."

The woman gave a startled sound, and then laughed as she hugged her son back, feeling an echo of a memory from the past, "Just give me warning nest time you do something to change our lives okay?"

"I'll try mom." Jack asured.

"And no long term driving until you get insurance."

"Yes mom."

"And make sure you get the seatbelts changed for winged people."

"I will mom."

"You're making dinner tonight."

"I was planning on it anyways mom."

"You can let go now."

"...no I'm going to hug you until you're not mad at me anymore."

"Jack!"

It was a good thing the two humans couldn't hear Cliffjumper's amusement as he repressed the urge to chuckle aloud while watching the interaction of mother and son. One of his minor scanners staying on Jack's lanky awkward frame as the two moved inside the house proper a minute later. The mech twitched though, a slight rocking on his wheels as he watched Jack clip his left wing on a door frame and stumble, nearly knocking into the table next before the teen popped upright, wings held tightly to his sides as he pretended that didn't happen.

 _It's like watching a flier youngling,_ the mech thought, thinking of times before the War for Cybertron. When he had been a bouncer and in the lower Levers of the planet where Wreckers where from…where he had met Arcee and Jazz.

:: _-Cliffjumper!-_ :: Bumblebee's text burst skittered across the frontline warrior's internal communication system.

:: _Is something wrong?_ :: Cliffjumper asked, already tapping the small, scarily basic garage door mechanism.

:: _-He's so tiny!-_ :: Was Bumblebee's response, along with a glyph for 'happy/thrilled.' That had the older mech relax some as the scout continued, ::- _I'm sorry I was almost late dropping him off but..._ -::

:: _Those wings?_ :: Cliffjumper guessed as he too remembered the odd softness of the feathers, the mech was scanning through the internet, partly keeping tabs on his new charges... the mech realizing that the most likely threat to Jack, and his carrier (Mother? That was the right word for it right?) would be not the Decepticons but other humans.

::- _Not just that, the sparkling is just so...soft, and cute._ -:: Bumblebee said, pulsing the same glyph again.

:: _Military don't like getting too close to us,_ :: Cliffjumper said in understanding, sending his own reassurance back to the other mech.

:: _The human military aren't nearly as active either!_ :: Bulkhead's deep voice cut into the communication line, having been connected by Bumblebee it seemed.

:: _Got your hands full Wrecker?_ :: Cliffjumper had to make sure he wasn't laughing aloud, as Bumblebee's trill made it over.

:: _Primus Cliff, this little femling still isn't warn out!_ :: Bulkhead complained, sending a strange mixed set of glyphs of annoyed/impressed with a little affection. :: _When you were getting a new alt, I indulged Miko to play, the off-roading was fun and let her climb up on my hands and arms. Primus mech she's still going in her caretaker's place, chacing those youngling there all over that yard-space-thing! For the last local hour and a half!_ ::

::- _Sounds like you got a wrecker equivalent!_ -::

:: _Bumble...just...holy primus I'm sicking this femling on you too- stop laughing Cliff!_ ::

:: _I'm sharing this with Prime,_ :: Cliffjumper declared to protests.

Optimus sent his own soundless glyph of amusement back to the three a few kliks later.


	6. Darkness Rising

**Queen's note:** Ever completely write out a chapter and you're happy with it…but you don't have an ending to the chapter? and I'm going through editing the other chapters today

 **Arch your Wings**

 **A TF Prime AU**

Darkness Rising

Bulkhead rumbled a chuckle despite himself as he watched the small form darting around not just his own sheer mass but those great rock spires he was walking through. The pure youthful cheer had him smiling outwardly before the black winged form zipped past once more. "You're a handful of a sparkling kid."

"It's Miko big guy!" The organic yipped as she barely dodged a rock from clipping her right wing on the pull up from her dive. "Oh my god!"

"Primus, be careful sp... Miko, you're going to crash into something," The Autobot started to lift his hand, but stopped himself. Bulkhead didn't want to reach out despite his reflex, didn't want to break a disturbingly fragile wing or any other limb with his hand suddenly in the femling's flight path.

Girl, not femling...mechling? Jetling?

Primus these human terms, how does one translate these things?

Miko was making a face as she concentrated on back-winging and correcting her path. She was feeling all the muscles in her back, chest and shoulders struggling with the effort. The result was Miko hovering in the air for a moment, trying to drift back away from the rocks. The girl blinked as she became aware of mass moving near, and then a giant hand that was rising under her, giving Miko the option to land. She did, flopping down into Bulkhead's palm with a happy sigh as she was carried away from the cliff face and rock spires for now.

"Okay..." Miko took a shaky breath and relaxed as she was lifted up closer to the massive mech's chest level. She turned to give the blue optics a sheepish look, resting her hands on Bulkhead's thumb as she started to shake the scare off. "Thanks!"

"You're crazy kid." Bulkhead said as he arched an optic ridge at the look he was getting.

"Thank you!" Miko beamed up at the massive mech, her wings giving a little shiver as she started to open them up. "Ow..."

"Maybe you should just ride along for a bit," Bulkhead suggested as he started to walk again. Watching Miko more than what was around himself for a few kliks, mostly because as he knew the path.

"I'm fine! –Ow, really I can- eep!" Miko yipped as the massive hand she had been sitting on closed over here. There was a semi muffled, "Hey!" from under the living metal digits.

It was not quite a sound of proper vent, though some hot air did escape Bulkhead's systems. It was more of a huff really. The mech looked down at his closed left hand and feeling the light flutter against the palm. He could still hear another muffled protest. Bulkhead glanced down and then up.

" ** _Primus help me with this one,_** " The Wrecker muttered in Cybertronian. Bulkhead rested the other hand over the left one for just a moment. Bulkhead opened his hands, using the right one like a shield. The mech arched an optic ridge at the girl. He wished Leadfoot was around, that old cranker at least knew how to deal with sparklings.

Not to mention just having another Wrecker around.

"What was that for?" Miko demanded, shaking those little black wings out. Once more there was that odd fearlessness from the young teen. Crossing her arms and glaring up at the mass of armored mech that could and did scare off Decepticon troopers.

"Can you stay put for even a few kliks sparkling?" Bulkhead paused and then added as the girl started to protest again, "Jetling? Primus I need to find a good translation..."

"...translation?" Miko echoed, derailed as a new thought suddenly, and maybe a bit belatedly, realizing that Bulkhead may not be calling her variations of 'childish' on purpose these last few days. With that new idea, Miko felt guilt creeping up her spine to the bases of her wings. "Bulk? Are... are you still, eh, learning English?"

"What? No." The Wrecker grunted and looked away as his hands lowered some. There was a few quiet moment before Bulkhead vented a sigh again, "No, it's not that Miko. I'm still learning some terms. Sorry Kid, I'm not used to... well, speaking in anything other then Cybertronian."

"Really?" The girl asked, Miko shifted in the large hand around her. She glanced around as the mech started to walk again.

"I think I've been speaking more 'human' since meeting you, then the last few months...? Year?" Bulkhead admitted, though he did not miss that the wings were closing. His active charge was settling a bit as she mulled over his admission.

That was new.

"Would another language help?" Miko asked liking back up at the blue optics.

Bulkhead shook his head, "Not really, just human terms that's what I have trouble with."

"Is that why ya keep calling me 'sparkling' and that means like... baby right?" Miko frowned for a moment before squinting up at the Wrecker as he moved into full sunlight. The teen blinked as the other large hand moved from behind her to above. Giving her some shade, yet Miko realized that the bot was still giving her plenty of space for her wings, as well as letting her be able to still look around or up.

"Yes... but not just that Miko." The big Wrecker considered as he looked down at Miko. Bulkhead hummed as he stopped. "'Sparkling' covers a lot of ages. Younger ages... like, from your infants to…what is Jack? A...Teen?"

"So, it's like how kid covers a lot of ages?" Miko half asked, humming thoughtfully to herself. That made more sense now, and the younger teen winced as guilt came back again, "Ohh... I'm a jerk... I'm sorry Bulk. I guess I've been kinda... brat."

The massive Wrecker considered the girl before he shifted, putting the girl into the shadow of his body. Bulkhead hummed as he used one fingertip to very gently touch Miko one the back, between the thin wings. To him at least, "Hey, hey. You're not a jerk Miko. You're young, and this…well, me. I'm not what you humans would normally interact with. Primus, I'm from a whole other world."

"But that's really cool...?"

"I guess, but I guess there's just a learning curve for both of us Miko." Bulkhead offered, remembering the reaction before when he was honest. Miko looked down and then nodded after a moment. Sitting up she reached out to pull herself to her feet and flop the wrist joints of her wings over the large digit.

The Wrecker gave a soft chuckle, smiling down at the girl as he shifted his hands slowly. Starting to walk again as he cupped the sparkling sized teen in his hands. He watched as the small chin was placed on the edge of his thumb, jolting back a memory of the first time he held a real sparkling. One of The Wrecker's own off spring, when Hotrod was barely bigger then Miko was now and being showed off just before the war started.

"Yeah... can we still go off-roading later Bulk?" The teen asked looking up, the hope was easy enough to identify even for the mech.

"Yeah Miko, we can go off-roading later, but you need to keep those wings folded up when inside me-" Bulkhead was saying before his communication lines chipped insistently. He half rolled his optics as he saw it was from base, "Bulkhead here."

:: _Bulkhead I'm opening a ground bridge,_ :: Ratchet's stressed voice snapped out almost as a charge filled the air before there was a soundless explosion of light and color. At least at first, before the steady background hum came from the bridge. :: _Get back here now!_ ::

"Calm down Doc, I'm not that far out," Bulkhead frowned, shilding Miko at first before feeling her move and glanced down to see the girl peering with interest at the ground bridge. Realizing she had not seen the bridge activated yet.

:: _Get BACK HERE now!_ :: Ratchet's voice bellowed, ever the communication line and echoing from the Bridge. :: _Cliffjumper is under attack, get that sparkling here so I can bridge you to him!_ ::

Shifting Miko to one hand completely and partly closing his fingers over the girl, careful after her spritzed yip. Bulkhead was lengthening his stride though as he was already entering the light of the ground bridge, "Medda, Cliffjumper is a Shock Trooper frame, he can handle everything up to Megatron."

Ratchet twisted and glared from his position in the base, just as Arcee's alternate form was screeching in from the far side. "Cliffjumper has Jack Bulkhead, and Megatron was spotted!"

For the first time in some time, Bulkhead felt his spark pulse flicker out of rhythm for a split moment.


End file.
